Study on Thermal Insulation Performance of Cross-Laminated Bamboo Wall

In recent years,bamboo,as a green building material,has attracted more and more attention worldwide.Inspired by the investigation of cross-laminated timber in structural systems,a new engineered cross-laminated bamboo(CLB)consisting of the cross lamination of bamboo scrimber plates is proposed in this paper.To evaluate its potential in structural applications,the thermal insulation performances of the CLB walls and CLB walls with the EPS foam plate were studied and evaluated by the temperature-controlled box-heat flow meter method.Test results indicated that the thermal insulation performance improved with the increase of thickness,but different wall configurations had little effect on the thermal insulation performance under the same thickness of the CLB wall.The thermal insulation performance of EPS-CLB composite wall was much better than that of CLB wall.In addition,a relatively acceptable accuracy of the theoretical calculations was proved.Finally,the influence of different locations of the EPS foam plate on heat transfer coefficient can be neglected as it was studied based on the validated numerical models.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Cross-Laminated Timber with Different Lay-ups Using Japanese Larch

Japanese larch is one of the main plantation tree species in China.A lack of engineered wood products made by Japanese larch,however,limits its application in wood stnuctures.In this study,based on optimum process parameters,such as pressure(12 MPa),adhesive spread rate(200 g/m^(2))and adhesive(one-component polyurethane),the mechanical properties of Japanese larch-made cross-laminated timber(CLT)with different lay-ups were evaluated by means of the static method.Results of this study showed that variations in lay-ups significantly affected the mechanical properties of CLT.The strength and modulus of bending and parallel compression for CLT increased with the thickness of lumber,while that of bending,parallel compression and rolling shear all decreased with the number of layers.Thickness,layup orientation and the number of layers all had an impact on the strength of CLT.Failure modes obtained from numerical simulation were basically the same as those of experimental tests.There was also strong alignment between theoretical value and test value for effective bending stifness and shear stifness.Thus,the shear analogy method can be used to predict the mechanical properties of CLT effectively.This study proved great potential in using Japanese larch wood for manufacturing CLT due to its good mechanical properties.

An Experimental and Analytical Study on Cross-Laminated Bamboo Rocking Walls with Friction Dampers

Cross-laminated bamboo(CLB)have a high strength to weight ratio and stable bidirectional mechanical properties.Inspired by the investigation on cross-laminated timber(CLT)rocking walls,CLB rocking walls with conventional friction dampers(CFDs)are studied in this paper.To investigate the mechanical properties of the CLB rocking wall,seven tests are conducted under a cyclic loading scheme,and different test parameters,including the existence of the CFDs,the moment ratio,and the loading times,are discussed.The test results show a bilinear behavior of the CLB rocking wall.The small residual displacements of the CLB rocking wall demonstrate an idealized self-centering capacity.The cumulative energy dissipation curves indicate that the energy dissipation capacity of the CLB rocking wall can be greatly improved with CFDs.The limit states of the CLB rocking wall under a lateral force are proposed based on the strains,stress,and damage level of the CLB material and posttensioned rebar.In addition,an analytical model of the CLB rocking wall is developed based on the proposed limit states of the CLB rocking wall to evaluate the hysteretic response of the CLB rocking wall,and the model is validated by the experimental data.The comparison results show the potential value of the analytical model for engineering design.

Understanding the Impacts of Plant Capacities and Uncertainties on the Techno- Economic Analysis of Cross-Laminated Timber Production in the Southern U.S.

Understanding the economic feasibility of cross-laminated timber(CLT),an emerging and sustainable alternative to concrete and steel,is critical for the rapid expansion of the mass timber industry.However,previous studies on economic performance of CLT have not fully considered the variations in the feedstock,plant capacities,manu-facturing parameters,and capital and operating costs.This study fills this gap by developing a techno-economic analysis of producing CLT panels in the Southern United States.The effects of those variations on minimum sell-ing price(MSP)of CLT panels are explored by Monte Carlo simulation.The results show that,across all the plant capacities from 30,000 to 150,000 m^(3)/year,the MSP ranges from$345 to$609/m^(3) with a±6%–9%range caused by the variations in feedstocks,key manufacturing parameters,capital and operating cost.The MSP decreases sig-nificantly along the increasing capacities.A sensitivity analysis exhibits that the lumber price,lumber preparing loss,plant capacity,and the installed costs of layering and gluing,finishing,and miscellaneous,are the top driving factors to CLT MSP.Supported by Geographic Information System,this study also studies the transportation cost of delivering CLT to customers under three CLT demanding levels(1%,5%,15%).The results show that the trans-portation cost is 1%–8%of the MSP.Lower demanding level or higher plant capacity can increase the transporta-tion cost due to average longer delivering distance.When considering the delivered cost that sums MSP and transportation cost,larger plant capacity does not necessarily generate lower delivered cost.

Comparative Study on Various Strength Parameters of Structural Elements Made from Cross-Laminated Timber

Cross laminated timber(CLT)is an innovative and environment friendly engineered timber product with superior structural performance.CLT offers strong resistance against both in-plane and out-of-plane loading.Hence,it is widely used as floors,roofs or wall elements.Considerable experimental research on CLT under various loading conditions has been done in the recent past.This article presents a comprehensive review of various design methods to determine basic mechanical properties such as tension,compression and rolling shear strength of CLT with primary focus on Norway spruce.All relevant experimental data available from existing literature were collated and consequently been used to evaluate the performance of various methods to design CLT structures.The comparison revealed that different methods show considerable variance in predicting the capacity of CLT panels due to the variation in timber species,which affects the corresponding mechanical properties of the lamella.In addition to species,rolling shear properties can also vary considerably depending on the type of experimental technique used for testing.A predictive model has also been proposed to correlate rolling shear strength obtained from shear analogy method to that obtained using planar shear.

Analysis of Crack Expansion and Morphology of Cross-Laminated Timber Planar Shear Test

To describe the dynamic cracking process of the CLT vertical layer,the correlation between a load-displacement curve,specimen cracking,and planar shear failure mechanism of the CLT were explored.A three-point bending test and an improved planar shear test are used to evaluate the shear performance of the CLT.In this study,the load-displacement curve is recorded,the experimental part is synchronized with the video,the dynamic process of cracking of the vertical layer is observed and analyzed throughout the test.From the load-displacement curve,the image characteristics of the initial cracking and the sudden increase of the cracking of the specimen are summar-ized.The description results of the whole dynamic process of the CLT vertical layer cracking are analyzed by pla-nar shear strength value,cracking phenomenon,and azimuth angle of cracking surface.The main conclusions show that the three-point bending test and the improved plain shear test can be used to test the plain shear strength of the CLT,with a difference of only 5.7%.The original crack and the new crack expansion account for 18.9%and 81.1%of the main cracking surface,respectively.And the vertical layer of the CLT specimen under three-point bending has three cracking morphologies,such as radial shake,ring shake,neither along with the radial shake nor along with the ring shake.The azimuth angle of the cracking surface of the CLT vertical layer under planar shear is quite consistent with the first main plane azimuth of the vertical layer of the CLT specimens under the three-point bending test and the shearing test.The shape in the cracking direction of the left half-span or the right half-span of the vertical layer of the specimen is similar to the Chinese character eight.

Bending,Compression and Bonding Performance of Cross-Laminated Timber(CLT)Made from Malaysian Fast-Growing Timbers

This study investigated the bending,compression as well as the bonding performance of CLT panels made from fast-growing timber species,i.e.,Laran(Neolamarckia cadamba)and Batai(Paraserianthes falcataria).The variables studied were timber species(Laran and Batai),layers of lamination(3-layer and 5-layer),loading direction in bending(in-plane and out-of-plane),loading direction in compression(x-,y-,and z-axis)and different treatment conditions for bonding performance test.The desired outputs of this study were bending and compression properties(strength and stiffness)as well as bonding performance(block shear strength,wood failure percentage and delamination value).The bending and compression test were conducted according to EN16351:2015 and EN408:2012,respectively.On the other hand,the bonding performance test was determined by block shear and delamination test based on EN16351:2015 and EN14374:2004,respectively.Prior to block shear test,the samples were subjected to three different treatment conditions.The results showed that CLT made from 3-layer Laran timber,loaded at out-of-plane direction exhibited the highest bending properties.Contrarily,CLT made from 5-layered Batai timber,loaded at in-plane direction showed the lowest bending properties.Laran samples for compression loaded at x-axis exhibited the best compressive properties.Generally,Laran CLT showed greater bonding performance determined by shear test compared to Batai CLT for both 3-and 5-layer panels.On the contrary,delamination results showed that Batai CLT demonstrated better bonding performance compared to Laran CLT.In terms of bonding performance measured by wood failure percentage(WFP),most samples under various treatment conditions showed WFP≥80%except for samples under wet condition with WFP≤60%.

Evaluation of the Out-of-Plane Shear Properties of Cross-Laminated Timber

The out-of-plane shear properties of cross-laminated timber(CLT)substantially influence the overall mechanical properties of CLT.Various testing methods and theories related to these properties have recently been developed.The effects of the number of layers(three and five layers)and testing method(short-span three-and four-point bending tests)on the out-of-plane shear properties of CLT were evaluated.The out-of-plane shear strength values were calculated based on different theories for comparison.The failure mode in the short-span four-point bending(FPB)method was mainly the rolling shear(RS)failure in the cross layers,indicating that the FPB method was appropriate to evaluate the RS strength of CLT.The out-of-plane shear capacity obtained using the three-point bending(TPB)method was higher than that tested by the FPB method.The testing methods significantly influenced the out-of-plane shear capacity of the three-layer specimens but not that of the five-layer specimens.With an increase in the number of layers,the out-of-plane shear strength of the specimens decreased by 24%.A linear correlation was found among the shear strength values obtained from different theories.

Mechanical Experimental Study on Tensile Bolted Connections of Cross-laminated Timber

In order to explore a kind of high-strength,earthquake-resistant,eco-nomical and suitable connection,4 groups of cross-laminated timber wall-to-floor and wall-to-wall bolted connections were tested under monotonic and cyclic load-ing.The defommation characteristics and failure modes of the cross-laminated tim-ber wall-to-floor and wall-to-wall bolted connections were exploited.Load-slip curves,bearing capacity,yielding point,stiffness and ductility of each group of specimens were analyzed.The test results indicate that the loading process of cross-laminated timber bolted connections under tension can be categorized as five stages,namely the elastic stage,the slip stage,the embedding stage,the yield-ing stage and the ultimate stage.The ultimate tensile capacity of cross-laminated timber bolted wall-to-floor connections is 2.67 times that of the wall-to-wall bolted connections.Compared with cross-laminated timber self-tapping screwed connections,the ultimate tensile capacity of the cross-laminated timber wall-to-floor bolted connections is 2.70 times that of the self-tapping screwed connec-tions,and the ultimate tensile capacity of the cross-laminated timber wall-to-wall bolted connections is 3.83 times that of the self-tapping screwed connections.The crosslaminated timber bolted connections have larger yielding displacement and wider plastic range,and they are more energy dissipative and more ductile.Furthermore,the cost of the cross-laminated timber wall-to-floor bolted connec-tions is 46%that of the self-tapping screwed connections,while the cost of cross-laminated wall-to-wall bolted connections is 53%that of the self-screwed connections.

DEVELOPING A PREFABRICATED LOW-CARBON CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM USING CROSS-LAMINATED TIMBER (CLT) PANELS FOR MULTISTOREY INNER-CITY INFILL HOUSING IN AUSTRALIA

Prefabricated engineered solid wood panel construction systems can sequester and store CO_(2).Modular cross-laminated timber(CLT,also called cross-lam)panels form the basis of low-carbon,engineered construction systems using solid wood panels that can be used to build residential infill developments of 10 storeys or higher.Multi-apartment buildings of 4 to 10 storeys constructed entirely in timber,such as recently in Europe,are innovative,but their social and cultural acceptance in Australia and North America is at this stage still uncertain.Commercial utilisation is only possible if there is a demand and user acceptance.This paper explores the opportunities offered by an innovative low carbon construction system using cross-laminated timber(CLT)panels to improve the design and delivery of urban infill housing.CLT construction has been developed around 1996 in Austria:layers of timber boards are glued crosswise in different directions to increase loadbearing capacity.The paper describes a multi-disciplinary research project into cross-laminated timber panels which aims to transform the Australian construction and development industry,involving a range of key partners.This project will introduce cross-laminated timber panels as a way to build with a lightweight prefabricated low-carbon construction system that is advantageous for urban infill and residential buildings in the range of 4 to 8 stories height.The challenges,research questions and advantages of this new engineered timber system are explained,and a detailed research methodology for further research is presented.

Cross-laminated Timber(CLT)in China:A State-of-the-Art

As a new type of green low-carbon engineered wood product,cross-laminated timber(CLT)is widely used in various types of wooden buildings in Europe and North America,and the number of high-rise wood construction is also increasing.Based on the introduction of the structural characteristics of the CLT and the development status of the CLT in developed countries,this paper focused on the review of the status of research and development of the CLT in China,with an emphasis on the breakthrough technologies of new bamboo-wood composite CLT developed.Finally,the prospects of the CLT in China were discussed.

Influence of Aspect Ratio on Rolling Shear Properties of Fast-Grown Small Diameter Eucalyptus Lumber

Eucalyptus is a major fast-grown species in South China,which has the potential for producing structural wood products such as cross-laminated timber(CLT).Aspect ratio(board width vs.board thickness)of eucalyptus lumbers is small due to the small diameter of fast-grown eucalyptus wood.To evaluate its rolling shear modulus and strength for potential CLT applications,three-layer hybrid CLT shear block specimens with different aspect ratios(2,4,6),were tested by planar shear test method.Digital image correlation(DIC)was employed to measure the rolling shear strain distribution and development during the planar shear tests.The mean values of rolling shear modulus and strength of eucalyptus lamination were 260.3%and 88.2%higher than those of SPF(Spruce-pine-fir)lamination with the same aspect ratio of 4,respectively.The rolling shear properties of eucalyptus laminations increased as the aspect ratio increased.Aspect ratio had a significant influence on rolling shear modulus compared to rolling shear strength.The high shear strain regions were primarily found around the gaps between segments of cross layer.The quantity of high shear strain regions increased as the aspect ratio of lamination decreased.Other high shear strain regions also occurred around the pith and along the glue line.The sudden failure of specimen occurred in the high strain region.In conclusion,the rolling shear strength and modulus of fast-grown eucalyptus laminations exceed the respective characteristic values for softwoods in the current standard by roughly factors of 3 and 8,indicating great potential for fast-grown eucalyptus wood cross-layers in CLT.

Seismic performance evaluation of innovative balloon type CLT rocking shear walls

Balloon type cross laminated timber(CLT)rocking shear walls are a novel seismic force resisting system.In this paper,the seismic performance of four 12-story balloon type CLT rocking shear walls,designed by a structural engineering firm located in Vancouver(Canada)using the performance-based design procedure outlined in the technical guideline published by the Canadian Construction Materials center(CCMC)/National Research Council Canada(NRC),is assessed.The seismic performance of the prototype CLT rocking shear walls was investigated using nonlinear time history analyses.Robust nonlinear finite element models were developed using OpenSees and the nonlinear behavior of the displacement-controlled components was calibrated using available experimental data.A detailed site-specific hazard analysis was conducted and sets of ground motions suitable for the prototype buildings were selected.The ground motions were used in a series of incremental dynamic analyses(IDAs)to quantify the adjustable collapse margin ratio(ACMR)of the prototype balloon type CLT rocking shear walls.The results show that the prototype balloon type CLT rocking shear walls designed using the performance-based design procedure outlined in the CCMC/NRC technical guideline have sufficient ACMR when compared to the acceptable limits recommended by FEMA P695.

Influence of core stiffness on the behavior of tall timber buildings subjected to wind loads

This study analyzes the feasibility of the use of cross-laminated timber(CLT)as a load-bearing structural element in a 40-story building based on Chinese design requirements.The proposed design of the high-rise concrete-CLT building utilizes the core-outrigger system.Concrete is used for the central core and outriggers,and CLT is used for the rest of the structure of the building.Finite element models with different types of connections were developed using SAP2000 to analyze the lateral behavior of the building under wind action.The finite element models with rigid connections deduce the wind load distributions on individual structural elements,which determine the total number and the stiffness of fasteners of the CLT panels.Accordingly,spring links with equivalent stiffness that simulate the mechanical fasteners were employed in SAP2000.The results indicate that CLT increases the lateral flexibility of the building.A closed concrete core was substituted by two half cores to measure the requirement of the maximum lateral deflection.However,the acceleration at the building top still exceeded the limitation prescribed in Chinese Code JGJ 3-2010 owing to the lightweight of CLT and decreased stiffness of the hybrid building.To restrict this top acceleration within the limit,further approaches to increase the stiffness in the weak direction of the building are required.Methods such as the modification of the floor layout,increase in the thickness of walls,and addition of extra damping capacity should be considered and verified in the future.

The first internal-tide deposits found in China

NOT until Gao Zhenzhong and Eriksson studied the Ordovician of Fincastle area, Appalachi-ans, the USA in 1990, did sedimentologist recognize internal-tide deposits in the ancientrecord and begin to use the term of 'internal-tide deposit'. In the Ordovician of Fincastlearea, two facies are recognized: (i) bidirectional cross-laminated very fine grained